WanAPI vs LiteLLM
An open-source library you self-host, versus a hosted gateway with one balance.
WanAPI
WanAPI is a cost-efficient, OpenAI-compatible gateway for developers who want frontier text, coding, image and video models on one balance — with automatic failover, transparent pay-as-you-go pricing and direct founder support.
LiteLLM
LiteLLM is a popular open-source Python SDK + proxy that gives 100+ providers one OpenAI-compatible interface. You run it yourself and bring your own provider keys.
litellm.aiSide by side
| Dimension | WanAPI | LiteLLM |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Fully hosted, nothing to run | You self-host (or use their cloud) |
| Provider keys | One WanAPI key & balance | Bring your own key per provider |
| Cost model | Pay-as-you-go per token | Free lib; you pay each provider directly |
| Media (image/video) | Yes, on the same balance | Depends on the providers you wire up |
| Ops burden | None | You run, scale and monitor it |
| Support | Founder replies directly | OSS community / their enterprise |
When to choose LiteLLM instead
- You want open-source, self-hosted control with no vendor in the middle.
- You already have accounts and keys with each upstream provider.
- You want to avoid any gateway markup and pay providers directly.
When WanAPI fits better
- You don't want to run, scale or monitor a proxy yourself.
- You want one prepaid balance and one key instead of many accounts.
- You want image/video and failover built in and hosted.
Switch in minutes
Keep your OpenAI SDK — point base_url to https://api.wanapis.com/v1 and get free trial credit on sign-up.